Acne Topics

Saturday, July 13, 2013

All-Natural Homemade Face Toners for Acne

The Importance of a Good Toner

Facial toner is one of the key components in a good skincare routine. It may sometimes be referred to as an astringent as well. Toners are used after cleansing the skin and they help remove any dirt, oil, or makeup that may have been left behind. Additionally, they help deep clean the pores and get rid of dead skin cells.

After using a toner you should follow with a good moisturizer to replace the skin's moisture barrier and balance PH levels. While there are many varieties of store bought toners, you may want to consider a homemade all-natural facial toner that you can make right at home. If you check the labels of store bough toners you'll see a long list of ingredients that are not necessarily great for your skin. If you keep it simple and go for a homemade toner you can avoid any harmful irritants.

*Please note that these toners are all recipes that I have tried. I am not a doctor or dermatologist, so please consult a professional prior to using a homemade toner. I would also recommend doing a spot test with the toner before using it on your entire face, in case of any allergies or skin irritation.

*I store all of my toners in the refrigerator. I like that they are nice and cool when I use them and it also helps close up my pores after cleansing.

Simple Lemon Toner

Lemon works as both an astringent and cleanser for the skin. It can also help even out skin tone and help prevent, and in some cases, treat breakouts. Here's my recipe for homemade lemon toner...

You will need:

Organic lemons

Distilled or purified water

Glass bottle or container for toner

Directions:

Squeeze juice from fresh organic lemons until you have about 1/4 cup of pure lemon juice.

Remove any seeds from lemon juice.

Pour lemon juice into your glass container.

Add 1/4 cup of purified water, creating a 50/50 ratio of water and lemon juice.

Mix together and store in fridge for up to one month.

Tea Tree Oil Toner

Tea tree oil is known for having natural antiseptic qualities, which make it a good option for those who struggle with acne breakouts. It also has some anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial for acne prone skin.

You will need:

Natural tea tree oil (organic if possible)

Purified or distilled water

Glass container or bottle

Directions:

Pour about 1/4 cup of your water into the glass container.

Add 4-5 drops of tea tree oil to your water (you can adjust how much tea tree oil you use according to your preference, the more tea tree oil the stronger the toner will be.)

Because the tea tree oil will tend to separate from the water be sure to mix up your toner before each use to get an even amount of tea tree oil in each usage.

Store in fridge or cupboard until gone.

Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) also has antibacterial properties that make it a good option for acne prone skin. If you decide to incorporate ACV into your skincare routine, be sure to use organic natural ACV with "the mother" in it. It will have a cloudy appearance in comparison to the ACV that is completely clear and used mainly in cooking recipes. The clear form of ACV has been stripped of it's natural goodness and processed, so it won't be of any help to your skin!
You will need:

Natural organic ACV with "the mother"

Distilled water

Glass container

Directions:

Add 1/4 cup of organic ACV to your glass container.

Add 1/4 cup of water to your ACV, creating a 50/50 ratio of water to ACV.